Endurance.Net Ridecamp Archives

Bev Gray and I met in the Kuala Lumpur airport today. She had arrived  
a couple hours earlier on a flight from Los Angeles.  Two  policemen  
met us at the airport, and drove us (in a very official car!) down  
the highway from KL - Selangor - to Melaka (Malacca is the English  
spelling) . It was an hour or so drive through miles and miles of  
date palm forests.  We arrived at the Everly Resort Hotel on the  
Atlantic coast (a beach!) at around 4pm, had a quick shower, gathered  
up laundry to do (everything I have needs washing after 2 weeks in  
Spain!) and then Bev said 'lets go do something!' I think she's going  
to be a fun travel partner :)  We took a taxi into the city and had a  
wonderful dinner at a Chinese restaurant, then set off to look for  
some shops, and right across the street was a 'Health Shop' - massage  
and reflexology (foot massage/stimulation techniques) and other Asian  
sorts of therapies. Bev said 'let's go!' (yes, she's going to be  
fun). So we did and I had my first ever foot massage and reflexology  
thing. It was fantastic!!!  Hot water soak (with a tea bag in the  
water), massaging and pressing and finding some very painful spots in  
my feet - and then a leg massage (oh those riding muscles) and then  
they had to pry me from the chair because I was too relaxed to move.  
It was really quite wonderful. I think we're going to go back  
tomorrow for a head/neck/shoulder massage. My neck and shoulders have  
been hurting since I came off of the mare at the Ladies Challenge in  
Abu Dhabi ... maybe all I need is a good massage!

We took a taxi back to the hotel from the shopping center - which we  
eventually found but everything was closing up so we scoped out some  
things for the next day and decided to head back. We talked with the  
taxi driver on the way back and when he found out we were were  
American he got all excited and asked ' so please can you tell me  
what the D.C. stands for in Washington D.C? I've been wondering all  
my life and nobody has ever been able to tell me and you're the first  
Americans I've met, so please can you tell me??'.  How funny - I told  
him 'District of Columbia' and he almost drove off the road with  
delight. oh thank you thank you!  I've been calling it 'Duncan City'  
because Duncan is the only American name I could think of that begins  
with a D.   :)

We got back to the hotel and met up with a group of Australians and  
New Zealanders- two of them are here to ride, the others to help and  
to enjoy their first visit to Malaysia.  Hamdan was there also -  
looking a bit glassy eyed. He's the main organizer of the ride, and  
since Tuanku Mizan (the King) will be here to ride it's a very big  
deal -  the whole state of Melaka wants to have a perfect event,  
Hamdan said even the governor has been calling to see how things are  
going!

So, tomorrow Bev and I are on our own for the day. I'm getting my  
hair cut in the morning, maybe a walk on the beach, and then back to  
the historic district to be tourists. and eat some more wonderful food!

I have a new book to read 'Three Cups of Tea'  about a mountain  
climber who ended up dedicating his life to building schools in the  
poor mountainous villages of Northern Pakistan. So far it's looking  
like a good book!

Now, off to bed with drifting notes from the band playing in the  
hotel lobby, and the sound of waves crashing against the shore. I'm  
thrilled to be back in Malaysia, I do love this country.

Steph


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